Rod mill switch



Dec. 14, 1965 w. J. HILL 3,223,345

ROD MILL SWITCH Filed April 5, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Z/fzllz'am Hill z\' Dec. 14, 1965 Filed April 5, 1963 W. J. HILL ROD MILL SWITCH 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR l/I'Zam HI'ZZ BY M, #@QMJ H Tim Dec. 14,

W. J. HILL ROD MILL swITcH Filed April 5, 1963 4 sheets sheet 3 INVENTORI wma Hill wez, @m 7,1%4

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Dec. 14, 1965 w. J. HILL. 3,223,345

ROD MILL SWITCH Filed April 5, 1963 4 4Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR Zl/'ZZI'am HIZZ BY M, 5' Hmm United States Patent Oli 3,223,345 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 ice 3,223,345 RGD MILL SWITCH William J. Hill, Worcester, Mass., assiguor to Morgan Construction Company, lvorcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Apr. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 270,934 12 Claims. (Cl. 242 80) This invention is an improved switch for directing rod mill product to laying reels. The switch herein described and claimed is used to direct successive strands of stock alternately from one laying reel to another. Where the mill rolls two or more strands in parallel, similar switches may be used on the other strands.

The rod switch of this invention is particularly designed to accommodate the high wear and abuse encountered by switches of this kind, while still providing positive switching of the mill product alternately into the proper channels. The design is simple, unaffected by the expansion and contraction of the components, immune to cooling water and scale, and permits ready replacement of parts receiving the greatest wear.

Rod mill product is usually round with a diameter in the range of about 0.2 to 0.65 inches. Each length of rod may have a weight of 300 pounds and upward and may be delivered at speeds varying from 4000 to 7000 feet per minute. Rods follow each other closely and often the spacing between successive rods may be only a few inches. Lengths of rod moving at such rates, even though closely spaced, must be passed sequentially from one laying reel to another to permit the previously filled reel to discharge its coil before receiving the next length. The wear occasioned on the switching means used to accomplish this change of paths is considerable but, at the same time, it is absolutely necessary that the switch operate smoothly and positively without presenting obstructions or conditions which will cause cobbles.

In the prior art construction, the switch has comprised a relatively long length of guide pipe pivoted at its rod receiving end for small horizontal swinging movement at the discharge end. Means has been provided for supporting and oscillating the discharge end back and forth so that the pipe may alternately be aligned with one or the other of two pipes leading to the two laying reels. The guide pipe, which has heretofore been used in this manner as switching means, has not been a piece of precision equipment. Due to its length, there is substantial axial dimension change as the pipe heats up after rolling operations have started. This changing length dimension results in a changing space between the discharge end of the switching guide pipe and the two adjacent receiving pipes. In some cases, the guide pipe may elongate to an extent causing the discharge end to engage the entrance e'nd of the next pipe in a manner to prevent proper switching. On other occasions, the clearance may be so great that as the pipe is urged laterally in conventional manner toward its other position and against the hot relatively flexible rod passing therethrough the rod may be detiected at this area to such an extent that a cobble will be created.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to eliminate these undesirable conditions that are now present in switching mechanisms and to provide switching means of such precision that cobbles are eliminated through the maintenance of proper clearances regardless of changing temperatures. The construction also provides that there can be no interference between the oscillating and stationary elements.

A further object of the invention contemplates that those parts that are under conditions of constant wear may be readily and quickly replaced in an inexpensive manner.

The invention will become more clearly understood as the description proceeds with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a plan view of the overall rod switch layout at the delivery end of the rod mill;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the switching mechanism shown in FIG. 1 taken on the line 2 2 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of FIGS. 2 and 4;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4 4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5 5 of FIGS. 2 and 4 showing the initial position of the rod with respect to the nozzle and righthand passage through the two-channel guide; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the preliminary movement of the nozzle toward the lefthand passage but limited by the rod then passing through the righthand passage.

The construction will now be described in detail. A rod (A) to be handled by the rod switch is received from the delivery end 2 of a rod mill by a rigid directing guide 10 that leads it to a movable delivery guide 12. Guide 12 in turn delivers the rod to the switch. The guides 10 and 12 are ordinarily in the form of pipes through which the rod may freely pass. The usual slight gap 14 existing between pipes 10 and 12 permits the arrival and passage of successive lengths of bar stock to be observed by a rod presence detecting device, which may be in the form of a photoelectric unit 16. The pipes are suitably supported on a base 18 with the receiving end of pipe 12 pivotally mounted at 20 for limited horizontal oscillatory movement of its discharge end 22. The dimensions of switch pipe 12 may be in the order of an inside diameter of l inch and a length of 6 to 8 feet. The remainder of the elements shown in the drawings are in substantially true proportion.

The construction of the switch is as follows: A support in the form of a vertical channel 24 extends transversely under the line of travel of the rod. Bolted to the face of channel 24 is a bracket generally referred to at 26 which may be seen clearly in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. This bracket has an upper plate 28 resting on the top of channel 24. The upper surface of plate 28 slopes upwardly to the right as viewed in FIG. 4 to parallel the line of travel of the rod. The front face of bracket 26 indicated at 30 extends vertically downward along the face of channel 24 and the lower part thereof is bolted to the channel by a bolt 32. The upper plate 28 has a pair of laterally extending ears 34 by which the bracket may be additionally secured to channel 24 by bolts 36.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, bracket 26 also has a pair of upwardly extending parallel walls 3S between which is positioned a two-channel rod receiving guide 40. This guide is maintained accurately in position on bracket 26 by means of two laterally extending heavy pins 42 fixed in the side walls of guide 40 and residing in U-shaped notches 44 in the vertical walls 38. Pins 42 prevent any longitudinal movement of guide 40. The guide 40 is held down iirmly against plate 28 by a hold down bar 46 notched at 47 and pivotally secured at one end by a shoulder Iscrew 48. The notched end of bar 46 is releasably held in transverse position by a hand screw 50. When hand screw 50 is released, bar 46 may be swung or more to the right, after which the guide 40 may be raised and removed from bracket 26. A pressure pad 51 under bar 46 has been found desirable to insure proper holding force.

The guide 40 is of novel construction. Extending generally longitudinally therethrough are two slightly diverging passages 52 and 54, the discharge ends of which are aligned wtih pipes 53 and 55 leading to the two laying reels. The passage entrances have slightly flared walls as at 56. In cross-section, passages 52 and 54 are generally cylindrical except for the adjacent inner walls, which are vertical and constitute opposed vertical sides of a removable separating guide section 58 which is triangular in plan and has its top and bottom surfaces lying in the plane of the top and bottom surfaces of the receiving guide 40. Thus when the hold down bar has been swung to the right away from guide 40, the center guide section 58 may be removed from the guide 40 by lifting it vertically out of its triangular slot. The reason for having section 58 removable is that this section includes the walls which are the major wearing surfaces in the guide 40. Thus when replacement is needed, the change can be made quickly and inexpensively by replacing this single element rather than by replacing the entire guide 40.

At the front end of guide 40 is a shallow U-shaped recess 60 whose bottom and side walls are a short distance beyond the periphery of the entering ends of passages 52 and 54. The forward end 62 of center guide section 58 is vertical, relatively narrow and blunt, and commences at the rear of recess 60, as can be seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. The purpose of recess 60 will appear shortly.

The lower part 64 of bracket 26 contains a circular bore 66 in which is positioned a fixed pivot 68. Hole 70 permits the pivot to be knocked out if necessary.

Part 64 terminates in a generally annular face 72 to which is bolted by a plurality of bolts 74 (one of which is shown in FIG. 4) a generally tubular horizontally extending support 76 which carries in its outer end a pivot 78 aligned with pivot 68. Pivot 78 is mounted in novel fashion. It resides in a holder 80 which is slidably positioned in a sleeve 81 in a cylindrical bore 82 therein. A key 84 fixed to sleeve 81 is positioned in keyway 86 to prevent holder 80 from rotating Within sleeve 81 while permitting relative longitudinal movement. The holder 80 has a rearwardly extending cylindrical portion 87 of less diameter which provides a shoulder 88 against which bears spring 90 to urge pivot 78 constantly toward pivot 68. A snap ring 92 prevents the escape of holder 80 from sleeve 81. Sleeve 81 is threaded as at 94 into the outer end of support 76 in a manner to permit axial adjustment thereof. The end of sleeve 81 is in hexagonal formation as at 96 whereby after the sleeve has been adjusted to correct position it is maintained through the use of locking plate 98 secured by bolt 100.

Pivots 68 and 78 together support an elongated hub 102 which preferably has anti-friction circular inserts 104 which make suitable bearing engagement against the faces of pivots 68 and 78. Inserts 104 may be rings made of tungsten carbide. Extending upwardly from hub 102 is an arm 106 passing through an opening 108 in the upper surface of support 76. At the lower side of hub 102 is a depending short lever 110 through which is a horizontal opening adapted to receive a transversely extending cross arm 112 on the ends of which are water buckets 114 and 116. The water buckets may be alternately filled by pipes 118 and 120 through which water flow is controlled by valves 122 and 124 actuated by circuits controlled by the photoelectric cells 16. The bottoms of the buckets 114 and 116 are perforated as at 126 so that water will drain continuously therefrom but at a rate slower than it can be supplied by pipes 118 and 120.

The upper part of arm 106 is in a semi-circular configuration with the axis thereof -at a radial distance from pivots 68 and 78 to be alignable with the axes of guide passages 52 and S4. A supporting member 128 of novel configuration resides in the semi-circular recess in the top of arm 106 and is secured thereto by a plurality of bolts 130 passing through a semi-circular skirt 131. The supporting member 128 includes two upwardly extending spaced elements which may take the form of a first ring 132 and a second ring 134, the latter being threaded about its interior as at 136. The two rings 132 and 134 are axially aligned and strong enough to carry the loads involved, being strengthened by a semi-cylindrical connecting web 138 which runs horizontally between the rings. The web 138, of course, forms a pocket and to prevent the collection of water therein a drain 140 is provided.

In second ring 134 is securely and adjustably mounted a single-channel cylindrical nozzle 142. This nozzle has a tapering throat 144 to facilitate the entrance thereto of oncoming rod from pipe 12. The nozzle should preferably be made of hardened steel having good frictional wearing qualities. To further increase the life of nozzle 142 there may be introduced a circular hardened insert 146 at the discharge end which is the position of greatest wear. The nozzle has a portion of enlarged outside diameter at 148 to provide a shoulder which engages a cooperating shoulder in the interior of a threaded sleeve 150 which is adapted for adjustable movement with the threads 136 of second ring 134. A snap ring 152 holds nozzle 142 in fixed longitudinal position within sleeve 150. A lock nut 154 is used to secure sleeve 150 and nozzle 142 in final correct adjusted position.

Positioned in ring 132 in free sliding engagement is the discharge end of guide pipe 12. Thus as pipe 12 expands and contracts, it may do so without affecting the axial position of rings 132 and 134 and nozzle 142.

As rod travels through pipe 12 and the remainder of the assembly, cooling water will drain downwardly from the end of pipe 12. Accordingly means is provided to prevent entry of any of this water into the precision bearings formed by the pivots 68 and 78 and the tungsten carbide rings 104 at the ends of hub 102. This is achieved by having generally semi-circular hoods 156 which extend laterally from arm 106 beyond opening 108. The hoods have at their edges transverse ribs 158. These ribs are located beyond other circular ribs 160 on support 176 at the front and rear of opening 108. If by chance any water should get into the interior of support 76 through opening 108, then such water will be prevented from reaching pivots 68 and 78 by the use of generally circular flanges 162 which direct the water down around the sides of hub 102 and out through bottom opening 164.

It can be seen from the foregoing description that by adjusting sleeve 81 the pivot 78 may be brought to bear against hub 102 with the proper force under the pressure of spring 90. No binding can occur in this bearing arrangement because any expansion or contraction of hub 102 and support 76 will be compensated for by shifting of the spring pressed holder 80 within sleeve 81 with the bearing pressure maintained continuously by spring 90.

Since the horizontal distance from arm 106 to pivot 68 is short, it is obvious that changes in temperature which may change the dimension of hub 102 and support 76 will have substantially no effect on the horizontal distance of the upper part of arm 106 from the face 30 of bracket 26. As a result, therefore, of this novel supporting and pivoting means for arm 106, it follows that the position of the discharge end of nozzle 142 will remain a substantially constant horizont-al distance from the entrances to passages 52 and 54. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, there is but slight clearance (usually less than 3/32 inch) between the discharge end of nozzle 142 and the entrance to passage 52, but this distance will not change appreciably as the temperature varies from shut down condition to maximu-m operating temperature developed 4by hot rod passing therethrough. This ability to maintain constant clearance is an important feature of the invention, as it precludes the development of cobbles at this point. Such is not the case with the prior art structures in which the discharge end of the guide pipe acting alone as the switching element had to be maintained a substantial distance from the two-channel guide 40, or equivalent pipes leading to the laying reels, in order to preclude the possibility of engagement when the guide pipe elongated under increasing temperature. In other wor-ds, the present construction, contraste-d with the prior art, provides means whereby the guide pipe 12 may change its longitudinal dimension at will without in any way affecting proper delivery of rod through pipe 12, nozzle 142 and on into the appropriate passage of guide 40.

It can now be seen that the construction herein disclosed provides for oscillation of nozzle 142 from a position at the right, as shown in FIG. 2 in which it is aligned with passage S2, to a position to the left, as suggested by the partial dot and dash lines, in which it will be aligned with passage 54. Various means may be provided -for limiting the motion of arm 106 and attached nozzle 142 so that as the nozzle is shifted it will not go beyond the position of proper alignment with passages 52 and 54. In the form shown, it has been considered desirable to utilize the vertical side walls of the recess 60 as the stop means. This is easily accomplished by relating the position of the side walls of the recess to the wall thickness of nozzle 142. However, it will be understood that the recess 60 could be eliminated and other stops could be attached to channel 24 or bracket 26 for limiting the oscillating movement of arm 106.

Operation of the switch is as follows: Assume that the switch is in the position shown in FIGS. l and 5 with the nozzle 142 to the rig-ht and aligned with passage 52 and pipe 53, having lbeen moved to this position by the dorninant weight of water in bucket 114. In this position, the switch is delivering rod (A) through passage 52 to pipe 53. The leading end of the rod then in transit will have triggered photoelectric cells 16 as it passed gap 14 to open water valve 124 .and close valve 122. Thus bucket 116 will commence to lill and, after overbalancing bucket 114 which is draining, will start movement of nozzle 142 to the left. This will create the situation illustrated in FIG. 6, in which the weight of the water in bucket 116 will move nozzle 142 part way to its lefthand position. This movement, however, is stopped by engagement of the right side wall of nozzle 142 with the right side of rod (A) while the left side of rod (A) is in engagement with the right wall of the removable center section 58 of guide 40. This situation continues to prevail until the passage of the tail end of rod (A) through nozzle 142. At this time, with bucket 116 full and bucket 114 empty, the arm 106 and the associated nozzle 142 will shift its -position to the left substantially instantaneously, stopping when the nozzle engages the left vertical wall of recess 60. As can be seen from FIG. 6, the distance nozzle 142 has to move t-o attain its new complete lefthand position is not only considerably less than 1/2 the diameter of nozzle 142 but also is only slightly more than the diameter of the rod (A). Under the forces involved, this shift occurs in a time less than the time required for the leading end of the next rod to reach nozzle 142. Accordingly, the next oncoming rod will be positively directed into passage 54 to continue on into guide pipe 55 on its w-ay to the other laying reel.

The leading end of the newly arriving rod on passing gap 14 activates photoelectric cells 16 in a manner to close valve 124 and open valve 122 with a time delay adequate to permit entry of the new rod into passage 54. Once the new rod is in passage 54 water commences to accumulate in bucket 114 and bucket 116 drains. As the weight of water in bucket 114 overbalances that remaining in bucket 116, arm 106 is then urged to the right to shift the position of nozzle 142 to a condition similar to that in FIG. 6 but moving in the opposite direction with the rod between the lefthand interior wall of nozzle 142 and the left vertical wall of guide section 58.

When the tail end of the next rod has passed through nozzle 142, the full bucket 114 (bucket 116 is now empty) provides the necessary force to shift instantly nozzle 142 the remainder of its movement to the right to engage the righthand vertical wall of recess 60 where the nozzle is then aligned with passage 52. When in this position, the parts will be as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, where they remain awaiting the arrival of the leading end of the next rod.

This switching procedure continues so long as the rolling mill remains in operation.

It is obvious that in time the vertical surfaces of center guide section S8 will wear to a point where replacement will be necessary. To accomplish replacement, the mill must be temporarily shut down. Bar 46 is released by hand screw .and swung to the right to uncover the center section 5S. This section is then lifted out, which may be conveniently done through the use of a magnet or by screwing a finger gripping element int-o a suitable threaded hole 166 in the top surface of the section. A new dividing guide section may then be readily inserted and secured by hold down bar 46 in the manner heretofore described.

When it is necessary to replace nozzle 142, the lock nut 154 is unscrewed and bolts 130 removed, thus permitting the supporting member 128 to be lifted bodily from arm 106. As soon as member 128 is above guide 40, it may be slid oit the end of guide pipe 12, after which sleeve may be unscrewed from second ring 134. Snap ring 152 may then be removed and nozzle 142 knocked out of sleeve 150. A new nozzle may then be inserted in sleeve 150 and the parts reassembled in the reverse order of dismantling.

, From the foregoing description of the invention and explanation of its operation, -it will be seen that a switch is provided that is positively operable within the time required to shift the nozzle from alignment with one passage to another in the two-channel guide. At the same time, the discharge end of the nozzle may be maintained in close proximity to the entrance to the passages in the guide so as to preclude any possibility of a co-bble developing at this point. On the other hand, the guide pipe leading to the switching nozzle may change its longtiudinal dimension without having any effect whatsoever on the operativeness of the switch. Furthermore, the bearing construction on which the arm 106 pivots is of such longitudinal dimension and `strength that there can be no movement of arm 106 in the direction of travel of the rod. Additionally, the bearing is of such sensitivity and long life that there is no diminution in the speed -of the operation of the switch over its operating life. The water bucket force applying means is a known construction, thoroughly tested, and provides a constant operating force for switching movement.

If the rod mill is rolling two or more strands, additional switches leading to the respective pairs of laying reels may be mounted side-by-side on channel 24. It will be further understood that the switch may be used in any situation where high speed positive switching is required regardless of the destination of the product being switched. It will also be appreciated that, while the water bucket mode of actuation is preferred, other equivalent alternative means, such as solenoids or hydraulic or pneumatic rams with spring take-ups to prevent the exerting of excessive frictional force on the rod prior to the switching operation, could also be used.

It is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention herein chosen for purposes of disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

41. A rod mill switch comprising a fixed support, a guide mounted on said support having side-by-side first and second passages therethrough, an upwardly extending pivoted arm mounted on said support, the axis of the the pivot of said arm being substantially parallel to the line of rod travel, the upper end of said arm having thereon two aligned supporting elements, one of said elements supporting the discharge end of a switch pipe, the other of said elements supporting a nozzle in axial alignment with the discharge end of said switch pipe, means for adjusting said nozzle axially with respect to its said supporting element whereby the discharge end of said nozzle may be brought into close proximity to the entrance ends of the passages through said guide, moving means for causing said arm, switch pipe end and nozzle to move transversely of the guide passages first in one direction and then in the other, means for limiting movement of said nozzle in both directions to positions in which said nozzle is alternately aligned with the rst of said passages and then with the second of said passages, initial movement of said arm, switch pipe and nozzle from their position of alignment with said lirst passage to a position o f alignment with the second passage limited by rod then passing through said nozzle and the said rst passage, said moving means acting upon completion of travel of said rod through said nozzle to move said nozzle the remaining distance to alignment with said other passage, such remaining distance being only a fractional part of the nozzle diameter.

2. A rod mill switch comprising a support, a rod guide having two adjacent passages therethrough fixed to said support, an upwardly extending arm pivotally mounted on said support, the arm swinging in a plane in front of the entrances to said passages, the pivoting mechanism for said arm comprising a pair of spaced pivots, one of said pivots fixed with respect to said support, the other of said pivots being resiliently urged toward the other pivot, a relatively long hub mounted for rotation on said pivots, said arm being attached to said hub at a point close to said xed pivot and remote from said resiliently mounted pivot whereby expansion or contraction of said hub will not appreciably change the plane of movement of said arm with respect to said support, rst and second supporting elements attached to the upper end of said arm, the rst of said supporting elements carrying the discharge end of a guide pipe and the other of said supporting elements carrying a short nozzle intermediate the discharge end of said guide pipe and the entrance ends of said passages through said guide, adjustable means for controlling the axial position of said nozzle whereby it may be brought into close proximity to the entrance ends of said passages, means for swinging said arm, guide pipe and nozzle back and forth from positions of alignment first -with one passage and then with the other passage, means for causing actuation of the arm shifting means under the initiating influence of rod passing through said pipe whereby partial movement of said nozzle from its position of alignment with one of said passages toward the other of said passages is caused while a rod is passing through said nozzle and said one passage, such partial movement limited by engagement of said nozzle with said rod, further movement of said arm and nozzle to a position of alignment with said other passage occurring instantly upon passing of the tail end of said rod through said nozzle.

3. A rod mill switch comprising structure including a passage leading to one laying reel and adjacent structure including another passage leading toV a second laying reel, said structures mounted on a fixed support, a vertically extendingV pivotedV arm mounted for swinging in a plane transverse to said passages, supporting elements on the upper end of said arm, one of said supporting elements holding the discharge end of a iguide pipe and permitting -axial movement of said pipe end with respect to said element, the other of said supporting elements carrying a short nozzle positioned in alignment with the said guide pipe and axially adjustable whereby `the discharge end of said nozzle may be brought into close proximity with the entrance ends to said passages, means for limiting swinging movement of said arm, guide pipe and nozzle from a position of alignment with one of said passages to a posi'- tion of alignment with the other of said passages, means for causing said arm to` commence movement toward said other passage while a rod is passing through said guide pipe, nozzle and therst of said passages, such movement being stopped by engagement of the wall of said ri'ozzle with the rod then passing therethrough, said' arm moving means rfunctioning to complete movement of 8S said nozzle to a position of alignment with the other of said passages instantly after the tail end of said rod passing therethrough has left said nozzle.

4. A switch for a rod mill comprising a xed support, an arm pivotally mounted on the front of said support for swinging movement in a plane transverse of the line of rod travel, means on the upper end of said arm supporting the discharge end of a switch pipe in a manner permitting axial movement of the switch pipe end with respect to the support as the pipe may elongate or contract under temperature changes, other means on said arm supporting a short nozzle in alignment with said switch pipe, a rod guide fixed to said support having two passa-ges therethrough, means `for moving said arm and nozzle from a position of alignment with one of said passages to a position of alignment with the other of said passages when no rod is present in said nozzle, and means permitting said nozzle to be adjusted axially to bring its discharge end into close proximity to but not touching the entrance ends of said passages.

5. In a rod mill switching mechanism for switching successive lengths of rod from one laying reel to another, a fixed support, guide means comprising structure including two adjacent passages, one passage leading to one laying reel and the other leading to another laying reel, the entrance ends of said passages lying in substantially the same transverse plane, means for directing rod coming from the rod mill through a single guide pipe to one or the other of said passages, said means comprising a pivoted arm mounted for transverse swinging movement through a plane generally parallel to the plane of the entrances to said passages, means on said arm for supporting the discharge end of a rod guide pipe and iorl supporting a short nozzle aligned with said pipe and intermediate the discharge end of said pipe and said passages, means for axial adjustment of said short nozzle whereby the discharge end of said nozzle may be positioned in close proximity to the entrances to the said passages, stop means for limiting movement of said nozzle in opposite directions in positions of alignment iirstl with one passage and then with the other, said means comprising elements integral with said guide structure positioned to be engaged by opposite sides of said nozzle as said nozzle is moved back and rforth, means for shifting said nozzle from a position of alignment with one of said passages while rod is passing therethrough to a position toward the other of said passages with the movement limited by engagement of the rod by the oppositely disposed walls of said nozzle and passage, said shifting means acting to complete movement of said nozzle to a position of alignment with the other of said passages instantly upon the tail end of said rod leaving said nozzle.

6. In a rod mill switch, means for pivotally supporting an arm carrying the discharge endof a switch pipe and an aligned nozzle whereby rod passing through said switch pipe and nozzle may be` alternately directed to adjacent passages leading to laying reels, said means comprising a fixed support, a fixed pivot mounted on said support, an elongated housing extending from said support and carrying at its remote end a second pivot axially aligned with the first pivot, and elongated hub having bearing surfaces engaged by said pivots, adjusting means for axially moving said second pivot for bringing said pivots into proper adjustment with said hub, resilient means interposed between said second pivot and said adjusting means whereby as said hub may expand or contract under temperature changes said second pivot may shift with said hub while still maintaining adequate engaging force against said hub bearings, an opening through said housing, said arm attached to said hub and extending through said opening, said opening and arm being close to said xed pivot whereby expansion and contraction of said hub will not appreciably change the swinging plane of movement of said arm with respect to said fixed pivot, a second opening through said housing at the bottom thereof, a short lever arm depending from said hub through said bottom opening, and means `for applying reversing forces to the said lever arm whereby said arm and the discharge end of said nozzle may be caused to shift from a position of alignment with one of said passage to a position of alignment with the other of said passages.

7. In a rod mill switch, means for pivotally supporting a swinging arm carrying the discharge end of a switch pipe coming from the mill whereby rod passing through said switch pipe may -be alternately directed to adjacent passages leading to laying reels, said means comprising a fixed support, a fixed pivot mounted on said support, an elongated housing extending from said support and carrying at its remote end a second pivot axially aligned with the iirst pivot, an elongated hub having bearing surfaces engaged by said pivots, adjusting means for axially moving said second pivot for bringing said pivots into proper adjustment with said hub, resilient means interposed between said second pivot and said adjusting means whereby as said hub may expand or contract under temperature changes said second pivot may shift with said hub while still maintaining adequate engaging force against said hub bearings, a vertical opening through said housing, an arm attached to said hub and extending upwardly through said opening, means attached to said arm and extending axially and transversely a sufficient distance to cover said opening whereby water and scale falling thereon will be prevented from entering said housing and reaching the pivot engaging surfaces, said opening and arm being close to said fixed pivot whereby expansion and contraction of said hub will not appreciably change the swinging plane of movement of said arm with respect to said fixed pivot, a second opening through said housing at the bottom thereof a short lever arm depending from said hub through said lower opening, a transversely extending shaft carried by said short lever arm, and means associated with said shaft for applying changing forces to `the ends thereof whereby said upwardly extending arm may be caused to shift its position alternately from a position of alignment with one of said passages to a position of alignment with the other of said passages.

8. A rod mill switch comprising a support, a two channel guide carried by said support, an arm pivotally mounted for swinging movement transversely of said channels, means for moving said arm alternately in opposite directions, a nozzle removably connected to said arm and alignable with said channels, a rod delivery pipe having its dischrage end carried by said arm in alignment with but spaced from said nozzle, and means for limiting the movement of said arm in said opposite directions so that said nozzle may be `alternately stopped in alinment first with one channel and then with the other.

9. A rod 4mill switch comprising two fixed adjacent guides leading to two laying reels, a pivoted guide pipe from the mill with its delivery end in the vicinity of said fixed adjacent guides, a short nozzle between said pipe delivery end and said fixed guides, common support means for `the delivery end of said pipe and said nozzle, adjusting means whereby said nozzle can be moved axially with respect to said support means to place the discharge end of said nozzle close to the entrance ends of said tixed guides, and means for causing movement of said pipe delivery end and nozzle back and forth from a position of alignment first with one of said fixed guides and then with the other, said movement occurring in two steps, the first `step being partial movement while rod is passing through said nozzle and one gui-de and the second step being the ybalance of the movement to a position of alignment with the other guide after the rod has left said nozzle.

10. A rod mill switch comprising pivot support means, an elongated hub between pivots carried by said support means, one pivot fixed to said support means and the other adjustable, an arm extending upwardly from said hub close to the fixed pivot end of said hub, two aligned supporting members on the upper end of said arm, one of said supporting members constructed to receive the discharge end of a switch pipe and the other of said supporting members removably carrying a short nozzle alignable with said switch pipe but spaced therefrom, means for axially adjusting the position of said nozzle, a two-passage guide fixed in relation to said pivot support, the entrances to said passages being closely adjacent the discharge end of said nozzle when the latter has been properly axially adjusted, and means for shifting said arm and nozzle from a position of alignment with one passage to a position of alignment with the other passage.

ll. A rod mill switch comprising a fixed two-passage guide in which each passage leads respectively to a laying reel, a swingable arm for directing rod first to one passage and then to the other passage, means for removably and adjustably mounting a nozzle on said arm, said means comprising an internally threaded support removably aiiixed to said arm, a threaded sleeve in threaded engagement with said support, a nozzle removably secured within said sleeve, and locking means for securing said sleeve in selected axially adjusted position with respect to said support whereby the discharge end of said nozzle may `be secured in close proximity to the entrances to said passages, said arm mounted on an elongated hub carried yby pivots, one of which is ixed with respect to said guide, said arm being connected to said hub closely adjacent the said iixed pivot end thereof, whereby changing temperature in said hub and arm will have little eect on the plane in which the discharge end of said nozzle swings adjacent the entrances to said passages.

l2. A rod mill switch comprising a fixed two-passage guide in which each passage leads respectively to a laying reel, a swingable arm for directing rod first to one passage and then to the other passage, means for removably and adjusta'bly mounting a nozzle on said arm, said means comprising an interally threaded support removably afiixed to said arm, a threaded sleeve in threaded engagement with said support, a nozzle removably secured within said sleeve, and locking means for securing said sleeve in selected laxially adjusted position with respect to said support whereby the discharge end of said nozzle may be secured in close proximity to the entrances to said passages, said arm having another support removably fixed thereto, said other support adapted to hold the discharge end of a switch pipe in alignment with said nozzle but spaced therefrom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. 

4. A SWITCH FOR A ROD MILL COMPRISING A FIXED SUPPORT, AN ARM PIVOTALLY MOUUNTED ON THE FRONT OF SAID SUPPORT FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT IN A PLANE TRANSVERSE OF THE LINE OF ROD TRAVEL, MEANS ON THE UPPER END OF SAID ARM SUPPORTING THE DISCHARGE END OF A SWITCH PIPE IN A MANNER PERMITTING AXIAL MOVEMENT OF THE SWITCH PIPE END WITH RESPECT TO THE SUPPORT AS THE PIPE MAY ELONGATE OR CONTRACT UNDER TEMPERATURE CHANGES, OTHER MEANS ON SAID ARM SUPPORTING A SHORT NOZZLE IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID SWITCH PIPE, A ROD GIDE FIXED TO SAID SUPPORT HAVING TWO PASSAGES THERETHROUGH, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ARM AND NOZZLE FROM A POSITION OF ALIGNMENT WITH ONE OF SAID PASSAGES TO A POSITION OF ALIGNMENT WITH THE OTHER OF SAID PASSAGES WHEN NO ROD IS PRESENT IN SAID NOZZLE, AND MEANS PERMITTING SAID NOZZLE TO BE ADJUUSTED AXIALLY TO BRING ITS DISCHARGE END INTO CLOSE PROXIMITY TO BUT NOT TOUCHING THE ENTRANCE ENDS OF SAID PASSAGES. 